On 6th May The Australian Institute of Architects National prizes for 2021 were announced via live stream, you can watch the full awards presentation here.

We are delighted to share that Cumulus Architect / Associate Liz Walsh has been announced as one of five winners of the 2021 Australian Institute of Architects Dulux Study Tour.

Liz expresses how she feels after the announcement “I feel so lucky to be joining the Dulux Study Tour this year and the Alumni more broadly. I am particularly excited about staying local and visiting some of our own home-grown talent. Australia is such a large and diverse nation and to have the opportunity to visits some of the more remote places and practices will be truly wonderful.”

This is the 13th tour since the program commenced, the tour is usually international however this year the group will be remaining in Australia. In November this year Liz will embark on a tour around Australia in order to explore the best of Australian architecture and to connect with other inspiring Australian architects.

Jury chair and Australian Institute of Architects National President Alice Hampson shared, “Selection for the award acknowledges early-career architects for their individual achievements and contribution to architectural practice, education, design excellence and community involvement. The Australian Institute of Architects Dulux Study Tour is one of our most coveted awards. It celebrates the importance of experiencing architecture first-hand by our most promising practitioners.”

Liz joins the Cumulus Dulux Tour alumni with Directors Peter Walker & Keith Westbrook also having previously won a place on the tour. Keith was due to participate in 2020, however the tour was postponed so he will be participating in the 2022 tour. Keith explains how the Cumulus team feel about Liz being selected to be a part of the Dulux Study Tour “We are all thrilled for Liz – she is thoroughly deserving and has been shortlisted a number of times. She constantly demonstrates an articulate and considered approach to architecture both within the studio and her own projects. The whole office is excited to see where the tour takes Liz later in the year.”

In response to Liz’s winning application the jury has provided the below citation.

Originally from regional Victoria, Elizabeth graduated as a Bachelor of Environmental Design and Master of Architecture with 1st Class Honours from the University of Tasmania, enriching her architectural education with a sabbatical at New York and Newfoundland, and studying at the Utzon International Workshop, Morocco, the UTAS Study Abroad Program, and the Summer School, India. In 2011-12, Elizabeth joined UTAS as research assistant, was shortlisted in the Capithetical International Design Competition and won the AIA Tasmanian Chapter Graduate Prize.

Walsh’s dedication to the AIA, education and community engagement has been deep and long evidenced by her dedication to roles as AIA Tasmanian Chapter Jury Member, NAWIC Tasmanian Chapter Strategy Co-chair, AIA Tasmanian Chapter Awards Co-curator, AIA Tasmanian Chapter Emerging Architecture State Chair, Emerging Architects Tasmania Communication Chair, and Graduate Tutor and Examiner at UTAS.

As an Associate and Project Architect at Cumulus Studio, Elizabeth distinguished herself with exceptional integrity and design excellence, strongly influencing the practice’s design direction while working on projects meriting National awards and international publication. In parallel, she established a private practice in 2015 with Alex Neilson, ‘Works by Liz and Alex’ (later renamed SO Architecture), to pursue small, exquisitely-detailed private commissions. Two projects, #TheBaeTAS and #TheBarnTAS, attracted an impressive array of State awards, a National Award for Interior Architecture and the Nicholas Murcutt Award for Small Projects.

Liz has been a member of the Cumulus family for a number of years and has been involved in projects such as Pumphouse Point, Willie Smith's, Devil’s Corner, Lady Gowrie Tasmania, Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre.

Congratulations to the other recipients who have also been selected to join the Dulux Study Tour; Carly Martin, Simon Rochowski, Nick Roberts & Madeline Sewall. We look forward to following your journey around Australia later this year.